1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an accelerator pedal device for an automobile and, more particularly, to an accelerator-pedal device equipped with an accelerator-opening sensor for detecting the degree of opening of an accelerator.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As an accelerator pedal device for transmitting the degree of opening of an accelerator pedal not through a link such as a wire but electrically to a throttle valve, there is known in the prior art an accelerator pedal device (as referred in for example, Unexamined Published Japanese Patent Application No. 9-52541), for example, which is given such a structure that an accelerator-opening sensor is disposed in the vicinity of the accelerator pedal, to rotate the accelerator-opening sensor in accordance with the depression stroke of the pedal.
In the existing accelerator pedal device of this kind, the arm of the accelerator pedal is turnably supported on a bracket through a pin, around which a return spring is mounted, A rotating portion is borne on the bracket on the leading end side of the arm, whereas an accelerator-opening sensor is connected through a shaft to the trailing end of the rotating portion. To this rotating portion, moreover, there is attached a cable receiving portion, which is connected through a wire to the pedal arm, so that the rotating portion i s rotated according to the depression stroke of the accelerator to output a signal indicating the accelerator-opening degree from the accelerator-opening sensor.
In this accelerator pedal device, however, the pedal arm and the rotating portion are connected through the wire. This makes it necessary to provide means for urging the rotating portion in a reverse direction from the depressing direction, and accordingly a return spring at the rotating portion in addition to the return spring mounted on the pin of the arm.